Devotion 

Rejoice in Your Youth

Frances Taylor 

Ecclesiastes is an interesting book to read. The theme seems to be that all is vanity. In this passage the young are advised to remember that God watches over us all and all our actions are subject to his judgment. If you continue reading in chapter 12, you will find that the youth is being warned that he will someday be old with all the infirmities that this will bring. We need to rejoice in every day we are given and not waste them. Don't take your youth for granted and spend them doing evil. How often have you heard someone excuse the young by saying that he is just sowing his wild oats. There really is no such thing. There is no excusing bad behavior because someone is young.

Our moral compass has become skewed in recent years and it seems that there are no moral boundaries. Adultery, hooking-up, pornography, sexual harassment and abuse are normal and even celebrated! Both men and women are looked at as sexual objects to be used instead of temples of God to be respected. Because of the lack of stigma to bad behavior, how are our youth learning right from wrong? The scary thing is that as they mature they find it difficult to know love from lust and to form faithful relationships. May we be good role models for those who come after us and help them to understand God's plan for them which will bring a happy, joyous life instead of disillusionment.

Prayer 

Lord, our youth is in trouble in today's world. May we work to give good example and work to change the moral attitudes prevalent in today's culture. Amen.